1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a multiple rear bumper hitch apparatus for use on trucks, tractors, and various motor vehicles. A variety of hitching means are mounted to a rotating plate, including a variety of hitch balls, a pintle hook and an auxiliary hitching means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been an emergence of different trailers and equipment that are capable of being towed behind a motor vehicle. Therefore, as a result of this trend, a demand has developed for a variety of hitching means and a special demand exists for a multiple hitching means that does not require removal of same for different types of hitching devices. Development in this art has been limited primarily to trailer hitches containing at the most two hitch balls.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,827,307 to Osborn represents an original concept using cleats for holding the hitch in a selected position. A second type of multiple hitch apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,911,233 to Riddle. It has been noted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,279 to Dirck that the disadvantages of Riddle "are many weak points in the construction, such as at the juncture between the upstanding sleeve and the brackets securing the device to a vehicle, and the relatively great loads or stresses placed on a hitch of this type causes a failure of the device at these weak points. . ."Likewise, Dirck has disadvantages including its inability to accommodate more than two hitch balls at a time due to the small plate diameter. An advantage of the rotating plate shown in the present application is that it extends beyond the bumper to allow the hitch mechanisms to clear same.
Other concepts are shown in U.S. Pats. to Rocksvold No. 4,022,490, Milton No. 4,232,877 and Trenstra No. 4,729,571.